The telltale sure fire sign is the presence or absence of a transfer bar.

 

So the hammer is the same as the later models?

 

As I understand it, the later models don't have a half-cock feature. True?

 

The old models unconverted will click four times and need to be half cocked to rotate cylinder and should not carry a round under the hammer. The conversion will have transfer bar and just single coking action.and open the gate and the cylinder will rotate. And a round can be carried under the hammer. I Have old models and new models but none converted.

 

Here's the easiest way to tell. Cock the hammer and look at the front face. If you see a flat surface like the center hammer, your gun has NOT been converted. The hammer on the left with a top and center step, is an Old Model conversion hammer, used with a transfer bar. The hammer on the right is a New Model hammer.

 

Thanks for detailed information. Fortunately, my gun has not been converted.

 

Converted OMs still load/unload at half cock. The conversion hammer does not have a safety notch (1st click on a non-converted), but other than that, Converted OMs operate the same as non-converted models. New Models load with the hammer fully forward and do not have a halfcock notch nor do they have a safety notch.

 

Got it. Mine's an originial made in late '71 - or early '72. Thankfully. Now to see if I can get a certification paper of some sort from Ruger and then find a box like what the original. Maybe ebay.

 

Surest giveaway is to view the cocked hammer. Here is a converted Three Screw. The dark area in the mammer indicates its a conversion:




Bob Wright

 

Surest giveaway is to view the cocked hammer. Here is a converted Three Screw. The dark area in the mammer indicates its a conversion:




Bob Wright

Thanks, Bob. Turns out mine is not converted. Thanks for recommending me to the company where I bought three button style ejector rods and housings. They make ejecting empties in a hurry much easier. John Hansen

 

If yours is not converted, remember the old "load one, skip one, load 4" rule

 

I'm not familiar with the rule.

 

With the exception of 22 WRMs, all Old Model Ruger SAs have a Ruger designed feature that most people are not aware of. It's simply a groove in the rear face of the cylinder that aligns with the firing pin and allows an OM without a transfer bar, to be safely loaded/carried with all 6 cartridges. 38/357 Mag and 44 Mag have thick enough rims where a firing pin groove is not necessary. 22 Mags do not have a firing pin groove and do not respond to this technique.

I suggest using spent cases to test until you learn how it works (it won't work without cases in the cylinder). Start by half cocking the hammer, then open the loading gate. Chamber 6 spent cases, then close the loading gate. Pull the hammer back just far enough to release the halfcock notch, then pull the trigger and ease the hammer fully forward. This will locate the cylinder where the firing pin is in between cases. Wiggle the cylinder a little and you will hear/feel the firing pin being pushed forward to hold the cylinder in position, with the firing pin located in between case heads. When the cylinder is in this safe position, the cylinder cannot be rotated, nor can the firing pin possibly contact a primer. This makes a fully loaded OM safe to handle, carry, or holster without the fear of an unintended discharge.

Here's a photo showing the firing pin groove in some OM cylinders. Top left is a 45 Colt, bottom left is a 45 ACP, both with firing pin grooves. Next is a 357 Mag on top and a 9mm on the bottom. These two don't have a firing pin groove because the case head is thick enough to use this technique. The next two cylinder to the right are a 22 LR on top, with a firing pin groove, and a 22 WMR without a firing pin groove. Finally, the far-right cylinder is for a 30 Carb and it does have a firing pin groove.

Once you learn Ruger's procedure, this simple technique is safer than the old Colt procedure of load one, skip one, load four, plus it makes the gun a true six-shooter, not a 5-shooter like the Colt procedure.

 

Iowegan, I thank you for sharing your knowledge. I finally understand the grooves now. I have been carrying five in Old Models just like Colts and clones.

 

Bulldog, Many people are new to Ruger Old Model revolvers and aren't aware of the safety issues. There are four distinct safety issues that can result in an unintended discharge, injuries, and have actually caused deaths.

The first issue is "thumb slip". This can happen when loading while cocking the hammer from halfcock to full cock. During this procedure, you must pull the trigger to release the sear from the half cock notch so if your thumb slips off the hammer spur, a very loud sound is heard .... like BANG!

The second issue is a known defect in the safety notch of the hammer. Normally, you can place the hammer in the safety notch (first click) and it will be held back so the firing pin won't contact a primer. This would be safe except .... safety notches are known to break easily, yet the gun can still function. All it takes to break a safety notch is carelessness when decocking or hitting the hammer.

The third safety issue is having the hammer rest on a live primer. All it takes is a little bump to make the gun fire.

Last and most dangerous is when the gun is holstered. If the hammer gets snagged when walking in brush, dealing with fence wires, or even putting on a seat belt, the hammer may be pulled back just short of being fully cocked, then released. This works much like fanning, only it is not intentional and often results in a hole in a leg or a foot blown off. The fix is simple .... use a holster that has a hammer spur strap.

New Models were designed to eliminate nearly all safety issues by loading with the hammer fully forward and using a transfer bar to eliminate snagging, thumb slip, or the hammer resting on a live primer.

 

Thanks very much. I bought this revolver as an investment, as it is in like-new condition. I doubt if more than 50 rounds have been fired through it. Although I didn't buy it as a shooter, I fired ten rounds through it at the range and I was careful to load only five chambers. Thanks again, I really enjoy the Ruger Forum.

 

With any colt style SAA you do not load all 6 rounds because there is a good chance of an accidental discharge

Not true .... there are many Colt clones, and of course Ruger Old Models that are safe with all 6 chambers loaded, as long as you do it properly. The "one size fits all" concept does not apply. Here's a perfect example. Here's my Beretta Stampede (45 Colt) that is a SAA clone. It loads from a halfcock but it also has a transfer bar, just like a converted Ruger Old model. Ruger New Models operate much like a Colt but load/unload with the hammer fully forward. They also have a transfer bar, making them the safest single action revolver on the market.

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Not true .... there are many Colt clones, and of course Ruger Old Models that are safe with all 6 chambers loaded, as long as you do it properly. The "one size fits all" concept does not apply. Here's a perfect example. Here's my Beretta Stampede (45 Colt) that is a SAA clone. It loads from a halfcock but it also has a transfer bar, just like a converted Ruger Old model. Ruger New Models operate much like a Colt but load/unload with the hammer fully forward. They also have a transfer bar, making them the safest single action revolver on the market.

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I said "colt style SAA". Colt doesn't make any with a transfer bar other than the short lived Cowboy. So my statement stands. Any colt style SAA should not be carried with 6 rounds. Any single action guns with a transfer bar are safe to carry with 6.

 

COKid, Virtually ALL single action revolvers are "Colt style" so your argument doesn't pass the test, except to yourself. When you make blanket statements and there are so many exceptions, it just doesn't ring true. Read my post # 17 that applies to all Ruger Old Models. Here's another "Colt style" ..... oh by the way, it's an actual Colt. It doesn't have a transfer bar but it does have a hammer block safety, making it safe to carry with all 6 chambers loaded. Here's my 22 LR Colt New Frontier Buntline:

 

Colt new frontier is a deviation from the single action army as it is a completely different frame size. But fine. I'll amend my statement.

Do not carry a single action revolver that is, or is a copy of, Colts ORIGINAL design of the Single Action Army, in any of it's generations 1-3, with 6 rounds in the cylinder. The safety notch on the hammer in the ORIGINAL design is not very strong and dropping one on it's hammer can result in a discharge.

 

Ok, now we are in agreement .... mostly. Colt New Frontier 22 cal (according to Colt) is a near exact 75% replica of an SAA. Frame size has nothing to do with the topic.